Roof exhauster



Dec..18, 1956 L. J. JENN 2,774,293

00k EXHAUSTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27. 1953 INVENTOR.

Lou/5 1. JEN/Y Dec. 18, 1956 J. JENN 2,774,293

ROOF EXHAUSTER Filed March 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. [0 0/5 J.JEN/Y United States Patent 6 i RooF EmAUsTER Louis J. Jenn,Indianapolis, Ind.

Application March 27, 1953, Serial No. 345,030

8 Claims. (CI. 98-43) This invention relates to a ventilating device andparticularly to a device supported on or adjacent the roof of a buildingfor moving air outwardly and upwardly from the inside of the buildingthrough said roof. Such venti lating devices are commonly called roofexhausters.

The trend in modern commercial and institutional buildings is toward lowrambling one story structures. Many school buildings are now designedwithout parapets. This type of building makes any superstructures on theroof, such as roof-mounted ventilators very conspicuous and they canspoil the pleasing or clean cut appearance striven for and intended bythe architect. There is a problem therefore in keeping the design ofsuch roof exhausters low enough to overcome the above mentioned effect.In many areas of this country the winter snows pile up to a considerabledepth on the building roofs. It is therefore necessary to mount saidroof exhausters on curbs of sufficient height so that the point ofdischarge from the same is above the snow level.

It is an object of this invention to provide a roof exhauster having adischarge outlet which is located very close to the top of the unititself.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a roof exhausterhaving a motor therein, a fan connected to and driven by said motor,said motor and fan being disposed at a point as low as possible. Withsuch a structure the 1 air discharged is directed up and around saidmotor to as high a point as possible.

It is also an object of this invention to provide such a device as setforth in the preceding paragraph together with means for directing thedischarged air downwardly toward the roof.

It is still another object of the invention to provide such a roofexhauster as above setforth and one with which a centrifugal fan or afan having an axial type of blade can interchangeably be used therewith.

It is more specifically an object of this invention to provide a roofexhauster having a supporting bracket at its lower end adapted to besecured to the roof or to a curb.

secured to the roof and extending upwardly therefrom, a conduitextending from inside of the building through the roof, an annularmember communicating at its lower end with said conduit and extendingupwardly and outwardly therefrom, a second annular member supported bysaid bracket and extending upwardly, a third annular member spacedvertically above said second annular member and forming therewith apassage for air, a motor supported 2,774,293 Patented Dec. 18, 1956 Fig.l is a top plan view of the device of this invention, a small portionthereof being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken substantially spaced bolts orrivets 14. Member 12 has an'upstanding cylindrical portion 12b ofsmaller diameter than portion 12a and secured to the latter by ahorizontal portion 120. A bracket 16 is provided and secured to member12. While said bracket 16 could be variously supported, in theembodiment of the invention illustrated, it is shown as secured to thecurb 12 and for this purpose the same has a depending cylindrical flange16a fitting about portion 12b. Portions 16a and 12b are connected bycircumferentially spaced bolts or rivets 17. A conduit 18 extends frominside of the building through the roof 10. While conduit 18 could bevariously supported, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated itis shown as fitting over a flange 20a of annular member 20 to which itwill be connected in any suitable manner, as by rivets or welding.l/lember 20 extends outwardly and upwardly andhas a substantiallycylindrical upper portion connected to the upper end of bracket 16 by'circumferentially spaced bolts or rivets 22. A ring 24 having avertically disposed outer flange and an upwardly and inwardly extendinginner flange is connected to portion 20a substantially at the upper'end'of the latter by circumferentially spaced bolts or rivets 23. Said boltsor rivets extend through the verticalflange of ring 24. It will 'be'seen that conduit 18 thus communicates with the lower end of annularmember 20. A second annular member 26 is provided, the same having adepending flange surrounding the upper end of annular member 16.vAnnular member 16 at said upper end is disposed between the upper endportion of member 20 and the lower portion of annular member 26, andsaid three members are connected as shown by the bolts or rivets 22.Annular member 26 at its upper end has an outwardly extending horizontalportion 26a having an outer depending edge portion. A third annularmember 27 is provided, the same extending upwardly and outwardly andhaving a substantially horizontal portion 27a, at its outer edge.Portion 27arests upon a number of circumferentially spaced sleeves 28throughwhich pass headed and nutted bolts 29, said bolts at their lowerends passing through portion 26a beneath which the nuts on said boltsare disposed. Bolts 29 also pass through a'cover member 30 to belater-described. Member 26 thus constitutes a bracket supporting sleeves28 and members 27 and 30. Member 27 at-its lower portion extendsinwardly and horizontally for a short distance and then extends upwardlyand inwardly fora short distance, the same terminating in ahorizontalannular flange 27a. A motor 32 is secured to the flange 27a by.-

the bolts 33, said motor having a hubextending downwardly through theopening-in flange 27a and having a ner, as by the key 36. Fan 34 at itslower end has a ringlike portion 34b having an inwardly and downwardlyextending'portion which is in substantially'vertical align? ment withthe inner flange of ring 24.

The cover member 30 extends upwardly and inwardly to forma dome-likeportion and at its upper endhas an A member 11 has a horizontalperipheral It will be seen that the conduit 18, ring 24, annular mem-;ber'2t), fan 34;and*motor 32'fare ingsnbstantially axial V alignment.Arrneans" foridirectin'g, the discharge d airi V downwardlydbwardtheroof 105' is shown 'as' 30b; and in,

theembcdiment of the inyenti'on illustrated; the same. is.

A cover member cured in any suitablemann'er, as -by:-'welding, to the iflange 54a. An outer cover 62'also of'inverted dish-like j forrnhas-a11111375811 securedto shaft 50c in' any suitable V manner, as by the setscrew 59. Fan 58 is shown as disposed within the lower portion of member48. V

Cover member 54 extends upwardly and'inwardly in dome-like form and hasa central upturned annular flange 54a at its upper end. a A cover'member6.0 of in H v vertedr dish-like form has a-n outer depending flange se-'form is disp'osedi over cover. member fill-and its outer downwardly.curved p ortion'extendsisome distance. out-, 1

' "wardly' from"member 602 Member 62' is secured to iou'sly fermedfofdiiierentmaterilsgin the enibojcli'nient 1 ofthe'in'vention' shown theyfare conveniently formed of sheet-metal? rotateifan 34f. Fan 34willfdir'ect gajirioutwardly and this air as indicatedby theljarrows inFig. 2 will pass up wardlyin the passage formed between members 26 and27." 'Thi's 'air willmovetothernpp er endof 'said passageand"will"then*be defi'ectedfdownwardlyitoward roof' 10,

or connected fan- 34'it: as 19 i it," he-ai d s e V 'aronndfthejmotorftoas h fi d o tr ai' lyl and i ec d wnwar y to r as indicated by thearrows. The air wilfthusl b'e dr'awn' upthrough conduit 1810 andithroughf the fan and will be forcedTfrorn-thednside of'the' buil dingto the outer side thereof. ltiwillfbe'seen thatthe discharge outlet is ga point as possible and tendsffrom withinj the building "upwardly;through the, V

'rooff 1'0"; Member; 11' h on l vflange nnrx lar 7' portion ll'gsimilargtO ilangeJIIb. CasingfITihas the 'yertically extending uppe'r; ap

a e. 1211 an "the p e -Y cal. 'fla g'c oh member. 2-?

member 45fillustratfid1as,an annular'inember has tzif vertical'flange ofmember 12 dithe same issecuredito, D saidilatte 'fi' ntially. Spaced rbolts-01".

, provided: having xtenda I through tlie sleeves A aits -thereen b t ndi ad 'at typeblade 5 lower flanges similarfton s. inwardly}ran l w y i iandfha'sfa itsfnpperendfayef callyflx tendirlgmcylindrical1.,fiangeifibj A otherm r 8- v V w y ndiiml fl fittinafibtmt 'flngef b dgconnectedjthiereto' by"ciijcumferentially;spaced. bolts149 V Member: 48' extendsfupwardly}andoutwardlyvandat'itsg PP? e s a, hor zont y xtding flange 'rfl m i r 48d, the ont'er' edge portiongoffwhichliscurvedwdown, 1

wardlyg third ann lar; porfiQllv 50 is prtivided, the I same extending'npwardly and; outwardly from-tits inner portion-arid havingla hori ontalflange stliz, atgitsflpper: Qouter en'd. Said-flange '50a rests'1iponj anumberpf c1r l.

. 1 eumferentiallyspaced sleeves;SI-{Whichrest at their'lower ends uponthe top-cf flange 48a; Headed and fnuttedi w icy i d c anger45a extendngl the: pper- The device 1 member'jfitl by a central'headed and"nuttedbolt 64. It

will be seen that members 50 and 48'form apassa'gei V therebetwe'en andmeans for directing the air fromsaid';

passage downwardly is provided. In the embodiment of the ,inventiqnillustrated, said means s lai isi formed fin- In"op;erati.6 motor5,6j-willbeidriyeniand this. will rotate fanj 581:? FanSSiWillidifctthe-air outwardly, and. f

upwardly as indicatedbyf-the arrows and said air will be drawnfupwardl'ythrou'gh' condnitl44,'i through the fan, andfwill be''dijrectedupwardly. throughlthe passage be. tweenflthfernembers 43Vand'SOZ' It will'then be deflected v downwardly;towardthe'roof 107'byjtheeoutwardly and downwardl'y curb'portion 54a." I v V lIt'jfwillfibe seenthatth'etype offa'n shownin Fig. 3 couldalsogbe'nsedinthestructure, shown in Figs. land; 2.: The't'ype of fan showninFigr2'could also be readily used in the; structure shown .Fig. 3; Incertain instal-Q latinlsuth'efiypeof fan shown in- Fig. ,3iwill moyeupito I double. the" amount of air moved by. the; type, oflfan."

' 2'? 'such' as, when used lwith'o'lit rdu ct work .s atic, p' r'essnrenapplication 1 1 i i i "From the ab as s'tatedipa'sses upwardlyaround th efmotor and is then directedvdownwardly towardthereof;/Aivery,lowwandi 1 comp'actfstrncture; is thus produced; In, manyapplications the use of the curb 12701, 12'fis unnecessa y 1 and members1'6and"'45,"can be connected fdire'ctliyi-to theftopf o f the roofs lltlor 101" Attention Vcalldllto the fac't" use and is -nowbeingcommercially" manufacturedif 'It ill Io'f course ,benunderstoodf"that:various changes may be m'adi in thie form, Vdetails'Qarrangement and"pro;

portions of'the parts without departin'g frornlthe. scope, .otapplicants'iiiyentibmhwhich,generallystated-consists, --in j adeyicecapable, of, carrying;out the,olijectsabbve set-'1 7 thjejlrpartsi andjcombinations;bf partsdisclose'cb rini helappended claims. claimed froofiof a building or avgcnrbv extending, upwardlygfrom. V

ove' description itLwillIbeseen that Iihave. 1

proyided ja roofjeghauster gparticularly adapted to be 'i V mjounted'o'none story structures. The heightofthe f g 'unit'has been kept to aminimum .and the motor and} fan dropp ed to a very jlow-pointi Thedischa'rged ir" demonstrate-din; I a 7 1".: in aroogfeiil lauster,adapted to be supported by the Combinati0n,;;an annular member 2. In aroof exhauster structure comprising a member supported on said roof anda conduit extending downwardly through said roof, the combination of abracket secured at its lower end to said member and extending upwardlytherefrom, an annular member secured at its upper end to said bracketand extending downwardly and inwardly, secured to and in alinement withsaid conduit, a second annular member secured at its lower end to theupper end of said bracket and extending upwardly therefrom, a thirdannular member supported at its upper end by the upper end of saidsecond annular member and extending downwardly and inwardly so as to bespaced inwardly therefrom and forming an annular passage therewith, amotor supported by said third annular member and disposed largelytherein and a fan above said conduit driven by said motor and disposedpartially within said second annular member and directing air upwardlythrough said conduit and annular passage.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2, said fan, motor, conduit andthird annular member being substantially coaxial.

4. The structure set forth in claim 2, and a member having a flangeextending outwardly and downwardly from the upper end of said thirdannular member at the upper end of said passage for deflecting air fromsaid passage downwardly.

5. In a roof exhauster structure having a member secured to a roofhaving a vertical opening extending through said roof and a conduitextending vertically and alined with said opening, the combination of abracket secured to said member and extending upwardly therefrom, asecond member secured at its lower end to said conduit and secured atits upper end to said bracket, said second member being annular in form,an annular member secured at its lower end to the upper end of saidsecond member and extending upwardly and outwardly, a second annularmember having sides extending upwardly and outwardly, spaced from andpartially within the sides of said first mentioned annular member andforming therewith an annular passage through which air from said conduitis directed, said second annular member supported by said first annularmember and having a bottom portion, a motor supported on said bottomportion and disposed largely within said second annular member, a fandisposed below and driven by said motor and disposed above said conduit,and a cover above said motor and extending outwardly to the upper end ofsaid second annular member.

6. A roof exhauster to be supported by a roof having in combination, amember secured to a roof having an attachment portion, a bracket securedat its lower end to said portion and extending upwardly and inwardlytherefrom, a conduit extending upwardly through said roof, an annularmember secured to the upper end portion of said conduit and extendingoutwardly and upwardly from said conduit and secured at its upper endportion to the upper end portion of said bracket, a second member ofinverted frusto-conical form secured at its lower end to the upper endof said annular member and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, asecond annular member of inverted frusto-conical form thus havingupwardly and outwardly flaring sides spaced from the sides of saidsecond member to form a passage through which air from said conduitpasses, means for supporting said second annular member, said secondannular member having a horizontal bottom portion, a motor supportedupon said portion, a fan disposed below said motor and driven thereby todraw air upwardly through said conduit and passage, means at the upperend of said passage for directing air passing therethrough downwardlyand a cover for said motor.

7. In a roof exhauster structure including a member supported on saidroof and a conduit extending vertically through said roof, thecombination of a second member secured to said conduit and extendingupwardly and outwardly therefrom, an annular member extending upwardlyfrom said second member and secured thereto at its lower end, a thirdmember of inverted frusto-conical form supported by said annular memberand disposed largely therein, the sides thereof forming an annularpassage for the passage of air from said conduit, said third memberhaving a bottom portion, a motor supported on said bottom portion andsubstantially closing the same, a fan below said motor above saidconduit and driven thereby for drawing air upwardly through said conduitand annular passage, said annular passage being open to the atmosphereat its upper end.

8. A roof exhauster adapted to be supported by a roof having incombination, a member having an upstanding annular portion, an upwardlyextending conduit secured to the lower end of said member, upper andlower spaced members forming an upwardly and outwardly extending annularpassage therebetween for receiving air from said conduit, said lowerspaced member being supported on said upstanding portion of said member,means for supporting said upper member on said lower member, said uppermember having a bottom portion, a motor supported on said bottomportion, a fan disposed below and driven by said motor and beingdisposed above said conduit, a member forming a cover for said motoroverlying said upper spaced member and being secured thereto, and meansfor directing air from said passage downwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,889,117 Adamcikas et a1. Nov. 29, 1932 2,322,302 Martinson June 22,1943 2,526,290 Solzman Oct. 17, 1950 2,571,513 Ammerman Oct. 16, 19512,582,902 Gohl Ian. 15, 1952 2,649,040 Knutson et al Aug. 18, 1953

